The Death of Thorgils Hallason, A.D. 1020

HPHORARIN was the name of a man who lived at Longdale : he was a chieftain, but not a mighty one. His son was named Audgisl, and was a nimble sort of a man. Thorgils Hallason took the chieftainship from them both, father and son. Audgisl went to see Snorri Godi, and told him of this unfair-

ness, and asked him to help. Snorri answered Snorri

only by fair words, and belittled the whole advises

affair ; but answered, “ Now that Halla’s-grig Audgisl

is getting too forward and swaggering. Will

Thorgils then happen on no man that will

not give in to him in everything ? No doubt he

is a big man and doughty, but men as good as

he is have also been sent to Hel.” And when

Audgisl went away Snorri gave him an inlaid

axe. The next spring Thorgils Hallason and

Thorstein the Black went south to Burgfirth

and offered atonement to the sons of Helgi and

his other kinsmen, and they came to terms of

peace on the matter, and fair honour was done

(to Helgi’s side). Thorstein paid two parts of

the atonement for the manslaughter, and the

third part Thorgils was to pay, payment being

due at the Thing. In the summer Thorgils

rode to the Thing, but when he and his men

came to the lava field by Thingvellir, they saw

a woman coming to meet them, and a mighty

big one she was. Thorgils rode up to her, but

she turned aside, and said this —

“ Take care

If you go forward

And be wary Of Snorri’s wiles

No one can escape

For so wise is Snorri.”

And after that she went her way. Then Thorgils said, “It has seldom happened so

Thorgils’ before, when luck was with me, that you cloak Were leaving the Thing when I was riding to it.” He now rode to the Thing and to his own booth. And through the early part the Thing was quiet. It happened one day during the Thing that folk’s clothes were hung out to dry. Thorgils had a blue hooded cloak, which was spread out on the booth wall, and men heard the cloak say thus —

“ Hanging wet on the wall

A hooded cloak knows a braid (trick);

I do not say he does not know two

He has been lately washed.”

This was thought a most marvellous thing. The next day Thorgils went west over the river to pay the money to the sons of Helgi. He sat down on the lava above the booths, and with him was his foster-brother Halldor and sundry more of them were there together. The sons of Helgi came to the meeting. Thorgils now began to count out the money. Audgisl Thorarinson came near, and when Thorgils had counted ten Audgisl struck at him, and all thought they heard the head say eleven as it flew off the neck. Audgisl ran to the booth of the Waterfirthers and Halldor rushed after him and struck him his death-blow in the door of the booth. These tidings came to the booth of Snorri Godi how Thorgils was slain. Snorri said, “ You must be mistaken ; it must be that Thorgils Hallason has slain some one.” The

man replied, “Why, the head flew off his Thorgils’ trunk.” “Then perhaps it is time,” said death

Snorri. This manslaughter was peacefully

atoned, as is told in the Saga of Thorgils Hallason.